A Ripple in the Water
by Vaneria Potter
Summary: Jadis wasn't the only one to be awoken by the bell, but bonds of blood aren't everything, and some people just want to be left alone. References to 'A Reason for Everything', but can be read alone.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own Chronicles of Narnia. If I did, there would be a lot more Lucy/Caspian going on. Which idiot came up with Susan/Caspian, anyway? It's worse than the Peter/Susan rampage!  
__Summary: Loyalty to kin and loyalty to yourself. Divided loyalties and lack of better options. There were times when she wondered if being royalty was really worth it._

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Chapter One

It had all started when the five-year-old Crown Princess Vaneria had woken in the middle of the night, as was an unfortunate habit. Normally, she would drift off again fairly quickly, but tonight she had seen her mother's sister walking down the hall outside, hooded and cloaked, joined by a second figure.

This, of course, instantly banished all thought of sleep from her mind. People sneaking down hallways in the middle of the night, trying to remain hidden? A secret meeting? It was just like the exciting stories that her nanny would read to her, and what could be better than finding her very own adventure? Aunt Jadis was very strict, but she always made time to play with Vaneria, and adventures were always more fun with others than by yourself! Slipping out of bed and pulling on a little fur coat (Mother always insisted on wearing warm clothing in the winter, one of the few things she and Aunt Jadis agreed upon) Vaneria padded out the door and scurried on silent feet to catch up with her aunt.

* * *

If nothing else, Vaneria was going to have all sorts of new places for next time she played hide-and-seek. Following Aunt Jadis had led her down past the dungeons, through two hidden passageways, and down to what must have been a hidden chamber.

It was set up very much like her own little shrine, (Even future queens must show respect to the gods and their ancestors, after all) but it was also different, with magic markings and statues and other things that Vaneria had never seen before. The Royal Line of Charn had magic, of course, and Vaneria was to begin learning it in a few years, but so many of the things here were completely unknown to her.

Further into the room, Aunt Jadis had slipped off her cloak, as did the other figure, who turned out to be a sour faced man with cold eyes. Seeing him, Vaneria must have made some noise, because the man's attention, not to mention a throwing knife, flew to where she hid behind the door. Vaneria let out a tiny shriek as both of them ran over. The man pulled the knife out of the door and Vaneria instantly attached herself to her aunt's leg, trembling from head to foot.

Recovering from the surprise, Princess Jadis let out a sigh. "Only Vaneria, then. Her presence will prove no danger. Acaia will join us soon, Karai, so you may prepare to begin the lesson. Hush, now, 'Ria, everything will be all right. Take a deep breath and calm down."

The man, Karai, moved away, going to a previously un-noticed shelf and taking down several books as Vaneria bravely did as she was instructed, letting go of her aunt. "What lessons, Aunt? I thought lessons had to be taken during the day; Nanny always says that the night is for sleeping."

Jadis smiled, but it was a strange smile. "Not all lessons take place under the sun, 'Ria. Some take place in Shadow and Secrecy."

Vaneria's eyes shone with delight; this adventure only became better and better! Queen Yelena insisted that she not learn Magic for several years, but here was a chance to learn it now! "Can I stay and watch? I don't want to go back by myself. I promise to be quiet."

A cackling laugh made both aunt and niece jump. Spinning around, they saw an old lady, hunched and wizened. "Let her stay then. Balance must be maintained, and she will need to learn at some point."

Jadis did not look pleased at the old woman's statement. "That was not part of our bargain, crone. Keep the young one out of this until she is of a proper age. Besides, how do we know she can keep it a secret?"

Vaneria was a Royal Princess; even at five she knew the value of secrecy! She was just about to open her mouth and indignantly protest this fact when the crone's expression became stern. "Then the bargain has just changed, Princess; your niece has a destiny, just as you do. I will teach both, or neither of you."

Jadis looked even less pleased at this, but didn't argue. She turned back to the sour-faced man as the old woman led Vaneria off to the side. "You have a destiny about you, little princess, and I can teach you things beyond what you would normally learn, things that will help you achieve your destiny. It will be difficult, and must be kept in utmost secrecy. Are you willing to learn?"

Vaneria knew that she was destined to be queen one day, and she had always been determined to be the greatest of her line. If this would help her achieve that goal, then it was worth the cost of secrecy. Meeting the crone's eyes squarely, she nodded. The crone smiled. "Good. My name is Acaia, and I will teach you things that you could never have imagined."

* * *

As Acaia promised, she did teach Vaneria things that even the young girl's fertile imagination would never have thought of. Often, she would teach Aunt Jadis at the same time, things that Vaneria had trouble comprehending, but sometimes it would be Vaneria alone. At first it was simple things, like the theory behind magic, which Acaia insisted she needed to learn before anything else. "There are many kinds of magic, little one, and I will teach you most of them. There are little magic's, like disguising your appearance, or a spell to bring or ward off bad luck. There are bigger things, like defending yourself from an attacker, or using magic to attack another. There is Deep Magic, somethings never to be meddled with, some of which can shape the very principles on which our world is created."

Vaneria listened intently, even her young mind aware that this would be one of the most important things she would ever learn. "Is that why we meet in secret, because the more powerful magic can be dangerous in wrong or ignorant hands?"

Acaia nodded, "Very good. That is why I teach you the theory before I allow you to try the spell itself."

* * *

As Vaneria grew older, it became harder to sneak away, as her life was slowly filled with other things. When Vaneria turned six, her Aunt Jadis adopted an orphaned Countess around Vaneria's age. Sorcha was golden haired and brown eyed, charismatic and outgoing.

A direct contrast to Vaneria's black hair, grey eyes and more introversive and subdued personality, the two girls instantly befriended each other, getting along like a house on fire. As close as sisters, they shared nearly everything, except the knowledge that Vaneria was learning magic. That would remain a secret for years yet.

* * *

At the age of seven, her nanny left, to be replaced by tutors who 'specialized' in things that her mother, Queen Yelena, insisted that she would 'need to know'. Outwardly, Vaneria agreed, as there were many things that a Crown Princess would need to know. Privately, she decided that they must be holding a competition to see who could be the most stuffy and boring of them all.

Things like etiquette and courtly behavior quickly became boring, to the extent that Vaneria and Sorcha spent most of their lessons mocking the tutor behind their back. Honestly, when you learn something and refine the skill, is it really necessary to have someone beat you over the head with it even after you have perfected the ability?

History was interesting, though. It became a lot less dull if you viewed it as a story, and the history of the Royal Family was nothing short of fascinating. They were descended from giants on one side, which certainly explained why Mother and Aunt Jadis towered head and shoulders above everyone else, and why the royal family seemed a lot stronger than most others.

On the other side, they came from the Father Of All Humans, who was called Adam, and from his first wife, Lilith. Lilith had been created as Adam's equal, formed out of the earth, just as he was. But when she wanted to be _treated_ as an equal, to not always submit to her husband, Lilith had been cast out of paradise, not yet knowing at the time that a daughter grew beneath her heart.

Lilith had many other children, not by Adam, but this daughter grew up, with the creed '_A daughter of Lilith submits to no one'_ and became the first Queen of Charn. Perhaps that was the second reason that Charn tended to be a Matriarchal society, having Kings only when there was no female heir. Then again, there was the fact that women did seem to have a slightly better track record in this area.

As one of the maids had put it: "If you can run a kitchen, you can rule the world."

* * *

At the age of eight, Acaia began teaching Vaneria in earnest. As she learned what was termed 'pattern magic'; a spell made stronger by using a pattern like weaving or dancing, however, Vaneria began to notice a more subtle one. "Acaia, I have been looking up the differences between the spells that Aunt Jadis and I are learning. Most of what I learn is loosely classified 'White' magic, while Aunt Jadis is learning magic that is very not, and could even be considered 'Dark'."

Acaia nodded. "I told you once that there must be balance. Your aunt seeks to rule and dominate; she has no interest in the more peaceful magics. You shoulder the responsibility of your heritage, and are willing to do your duty, but you have no desire to conquer or subdue others. The magic that Princess Jadis revels in would not work well for you."

Vaneria studied her teacher, who was refusing to fully meet her eyes. "That is not all, though, is it?"

Acaia sighed. "No." Her expression became the most serious Vaneria had ever seen. "Hear me now, and understand that there are some things that I will _never_ teach you, some things that are better off forgotten. Karai has never possessed my restraint, and I fear that he _will_ teach Princess Jadis these things. If that happens, I fear for Charn, so I teach you magic that will help you counter these things, or at least protect yourself."

Unwilling to believe that her beloved Aunt would do such a thing, but knowing that Acaia's 'feelings' were almost always correct, Vaneria only nodded, and delved deep into her studies, hoping that this particular fear would turn out to be only paranoia.

* * *

When Vaneria turned nine, they had to give up trying to sneak out and meet secretly at night. To Vaneria's considerable surprise, her Aunt Jadis solved the problem by having Acaia use glamour and introducing her as a possible Lady Companion and Magic teacher. Spending most of the day relatively alone together, Acaia would teach her the 'appropriate' magic in her role as tutor, then slip the more advanced magic lesson, little by little, into a seemingly innocent conversation, while teaching her to work symbols to protect or force truthfulness into her embroidery and painting, shaped by falling leaves or petals, or hidden in the shadow of a tree or spray of a waterfall.

It was also in this year that Sorcha managed to figure out by herself that something was going on, and found out about her adoptive mother's use of magic. For Sorcha, it was a large shock, and not a little hurt that they had not confided in her. For Jadis and Vaneria, it was a month of the 'Silent Treatment'. For Sorcha, it was eventually becoming a far more frequent visitor when Vaneria was alone with her Lady Companion. For Acaia, it was gaining another student.

Years passed in this manner, quiet and in relative tranquility. It was not until Vaneria's sixteenth year that things started to go terribly wrong.

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A/N: First chapter up! There will be references to my other fic 'A Reason For Everything' but you don't have to have read that first. Anyway, take a few extra seconds to review and tell me what you think. Constructive critisism is welcome, and flames are kept as a reminder that some people can be just as pointlessly rude as my sister. If you don't like it, then tell my how to improve, rather than wasting both our time with insults.

Thanks, Nat


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own the Chronicles of Narnia._

_Summary: See previous chapters._

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Chapter Two

Over the course of years, an ambitious advisor had been whispering into the Queen's ear, playing on her fears and trying to stir dissension within the court. A rift began to grow between Vaneria's mother and aunt, and it seemed as though everyone was beginning to take sides.

As if that were not enough, the astrologers of Charn had pooled their studies and discovered that the sun, already a 'red giant' had only a few centuries left before it would die. Given the long life spans of the people of Charn, this meant perhaps four generations until Charn was no more.

Dissension began to grow, whispers of rebellion springing up all over the world. Families turned against each other, and the Lords and Princes who governed under Queen Yelena began to lay down harsher and harsher punishments to keep their districts under control by force. Privately, Vaneria wondered what their tutors had been teaching them; everyone with a passing knowledge of history knew that such an approach never worked!

The Queen spent more and more time closeted away with her advisors, trying to hold together a crumbling world. Vaneria had always known that Matters of State often had to come first, but she knew that distance was growing between them. With everything else breaking apart, Vaneria felt justified in her (futile) hope of wanting to keep this one bond whole.

Then, shortly after Vaneria's nineteenth birthday and just as she was starting to think that things couldn't possibly get worse, Sorcha was arrested and sentenced to death.

Sorcha, her husband, Brand, and Aunt Jadis had been off on a Mercy Mission to one of the more isolated districts, when pure, misfortunate chance landed Sorcha as the unfortunate scapegoat for some very illegal activity. With the governing Lord's new and strongly enforced penalties, Sorcha was sentenced to die.

* * *

"Mother feels bad about it, you know."

Sorcha gave her cousin a disbelieving look. Vaneria flushed and looked down, twisting her ring. "I know; it doesn't make much difference. But there was hard evidence against you, and unless she can come up with something truly spectacular, there is no real way she can overrule the idiot. Mother doesn't have much of a choice, even if everyone knows you had nothing to do with the whole fiasco."

Sorcha sighed and sat back, letting silence reign for a few minutes. "How are Brand and my mother taking it?"

Vaneria winced. "Not good. Brand has locked himself up somewhere in seclusion. No one has seen him for days. She blew an absolute fuse when Mother said that she couldn't do anything about it, and that sparked a fight that had everyone walking on eggshells for days. It seems that all Aunt Jadis is doing is either searching frantically to get you out or going over some of her darker books and muttering furiously. As much as you'll both deny it, you are Aunt Jadis's ray of light, and without you she's shrouded in darkness. It's starting to scare me, and none of the staff are willing to go near her rooms, much less near Aunt Jadis herself."

Sorcha frowned. "Normally, I'd laugh at the metaphor, but now really doesn't look like the time. Mother visited the other day, and it's like she's obsessed nearly to the point of madness. I'm worried that it will only take a small push to send her over the edge."

Her cousin nodded. "And with everyone taking sides, not to mention the astrologers' warnings about our dying sun, I don't need to be a seer to know that it will only take one incident to send the world to Hell in a hand-basket. If there is anyone left to send to Hell, at least."

Sorcha gave the Crown Princess a sharp look. "You mean…? Oh, 'Ria, please tell me that Karai didn't…"

Vaneria nodded. "I'm afraid so. The idiot not only knew the Deplorable Word, but went and taught Aunt Jadis, too. I've been searching for a possible counter, but everything that even comes close needs to be prepared weeks in advance, and largely depends on timing, as in: knowing when whatever the spell it is supposed to be countering is going to happen."

One wouldn't have thought it possible, but Sorcha's face grew even more serious. "You think that Mother would actually use that spell?"

Vaneria's voice was very small as she answered the affirmative. "She's not the Aunt Jadis we knew anymore. It's like she's become a totally different person. I'm scared, Sorcha. Everything is going so wrong and I don't know what to do."

Neither cousin had ever been one for meaningless words of comfort, so Sorcha just took her cousin's hand and held it, conveying what words could not. Several minutes passed in silence, until Sorcha finally spoke up again. "So you couldn't find anything that could realistically counter the Deplorable Word. What about something to protect an individual?"

Vaneria opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by the returning guard. "I'm sorry, Your Highness, but Her Majesty requires your presence. Immediately."

Vaneria sighed and glanced at her cousin. "I'll come and visit you again soon, Sorcha. Until then."

* * *

With everything that was going on and her increasing duties as Heir Apparent in a time of crisis, it was four days before Vaneria could visit Sorcha again. This time, she had a book with her, which Sorcha recognized as one of Jadis's magic books. "How did you get hold of that? Mother never lets people in her rooms, much less near her magic equipment!"

Vaneria looked almost sheepish. "She kind of threw it at my head, actually. I went to bring her some food, as we hadn't seen her in the Dining Hall for days, but Aunt Jadis didn't appreciate the interruption. That's not important though. Look at this spell I've found."

Sorcha leaned over as far as the bars would permit, reading the description aloud. " '_The Preservation Spell__: A spell to render one as dead, without need of food or fire for hundreds of years, until the bell is struck with the hammer'._ Well, that takes care of being destroyed by virtue of being a 'living' thing."

Vaneria nodded. "Yes, but look further down. It requires a sacrifice from one who loves you, and the preliminary ritual must be performed in the Hall of Ancestors. You know that only those of the Royal Family are allowed in there, and none of my relatives like me _that_ much. Well, except Mother, but there is no way I'm telling her about this; she has enough on her plate right now."

Sorcha was silent for a long moment. When she finally spoke, her voice was soft, but hard with steel resolve. "They might not, and Queen Yelena might be unaware, but I love you as the closest thing I have to a sister. I will die soon anyway, and I want my death to have some purpose that doesn't include spurring half of Charn into a war that will destroy us all."

Vaneria opened her mouth to vehemently protest, but shut it again at Sorcha's resolute glare. "There is no way I can talk you out of this?" Sorcha shook her head. "Fine, but I want it on record that I don't like this. Now, how do we get you into the Hall of Ancestors…?"

* * *

Getting Sorcha into the Hall of Ancestors was actually surprisingly easy. Like all people about to die, prisoners were strongly encouraged to make peace with their respective 'Higher Power' (not everyone worshiped the same deity) and with their ancestors, so that they would be welcomed after death. While not a goddess in her own right, Lilith was considered the mother of all humans in Charn, and the Royal Line in particular, and so had her own place in the Hall of Ancestors.

Sorcha had been adopted into the Royal Line by Jadis, so while they were on metaphorical shaky ground, it was acceptable for her to enter the Hall of Ancestors, especially when accompanied by the Heir Apparent.

There was a token protest when Vaneria insisted on the two girls entering the Hall alone, but the unfortunate guard stopped protesting when she leveled a glare at him. Vaneria's ire with the situation at large and her cousin's execution in particular was not a secret. "I am the Crown Princess of Charn, and as such I have the right to visit the Hall of Ancestors when I wish. Princess Sorcha is adopted into the royal line, and wishes to pay homage to Lilith before her death. This is her right, so shut up and let us alone."

The guards exchanged glances, and then looked away. "Be quick, Your Highness."

The two young women entered the room, moving to the throne one seat away from the last of the statues. Facing each other, they placed their palms together, one hand facing up, the other down, and began the ritual chant. The chant was in the Old Tongue, and it had taken a week just to look up the proper pronunciation, but neither of them faltered.

The first part of the ritual complete, Vaneria stepped away, mounting the dais and sitting on the throne that would have one day been hers. Sorcha knelt before her, her voice clear as she spoke the next part. "My life and spirit is pledged to thee, so you may sit eternal in the mighty company of those who have come before you. Needing neither food nor fire, water nor sleep, you will be as an image of stone, until the bell is struck to awake you."

Vaneria took a deep breath, reciting the final part. "As a Daughter of Lilith, scion of her line, I accept your pledge. When the time of my choosing comes, I will sit in the Hall of Ancestors, until I am awoken by the bell and the hammer."

Both rose and embraced, then spoke together, sealing the spell. "As spoken, as pledged, so let it be done."

They stepped away from the thrones, then Vaneria's face crumpled, and she hugged her cousin again, trying to hold back tears. "You're the only friend I've ever had."

Sorcha returned the embrace just as fiercely, clinging to the older Princess. "I've had many friends, but you're the closest thing I've had to a sister. Look after Brand for me?

Vaneria sniffed and nodded, just as there was a respectful knock on the door. "Your Highness? It is time."

The two girls parted and began walking back to the entrance. Without warning, Sorcha began to hum a tune under her breath, recognizable as an old melody titled, '_Don't Cry For Me'._ Vaneria whacked her on the arm, and the cousins parted, for the last time, in laughter.

* * *

Sorcha's prediction proved true, and war broke out in a matter of weeks, headed by Brand and Jadis.

Queen Yelena knew perfectly well what the Ringleaders' motivation for rebellion was, and feared that they would retaliate by targeting her own daughter. The end result of this fear was that Vaneria was stopped just as she was leaving to hunt Brand down and beat some sense into him, confined to the Palace, and forbidden to go anywhere without an escort.

It was a very good thing that Vaneria was patient and good at keeping herself entertained, or she would have gone stir-crazed within a week.

* * *

Finally, not long after Vaneria's twenty-first birthday and official confirmation as Heir, the war came to the very city of Charn itself.

The final battle raged for three days, until the streets and river of Charn flowed red with blood. All that were left was the four-score warriors of the Royal Guard, and a handful of Jadis's rebels. Queen Yelena led the last of her warriors out to battle, while Vaneria was escorted to her rooms. Just what good the Queen thought that would do was still in question, but Vaneria didn't waste time complaining.

There was no time to cry over her mother, the proud woman that she would never see again. There was no time to mourn Charn, the glorious city that would soon be no more than a desolate ruin. There was not even time to curse the vain idiot who had insisted that for the Preservation Spell to work, one had to be dressed in their finest clothing.

Most of Vaneria's "Finest" clothing was heavily embroidered and covered in jewels, but in this instance, Vaneria had neither the time nor the small army of assistants to dress in one of them. The ritual would just have to be satisfied with her third-finest clothing, which was a dress of a shimmering, dusk-blue material, embroidered with black, dark-blue and silver thread. The collar and cuffs were outlined with silver and sapphire beads, while diamonds formed a swirling design over the bodice. Vaneria finished the ensemble with a perfectly detailed pendent of a silver moon-flower, and drop-cluster earrings of little blossoms, which tinkled like tiny bells as she moved. The final touch was a silver crown, set with diamonds and moonstones, wrought in the shape of twisted flowering vines, and left her rooms, quickly making her way to the Hall of Ancestors.

Taking her seat in the throne that she had prepared only months ago, Vaneria closed her eyes. "As spoken, as pledged, so let it be done."

Outside, the sound of fighting stopped, and Vaneria knew no more.

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_A/N: I know that descriptions of a person's appearance normally shouldn't take up an entire paragraph, but I couldn't resist. Aside from that, I would really like to know what people think, and what needs correcting. Constructive criticism is always appreciated, even if you just want to say I should abandon this idea._

_Thanks, Nat._


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own the Chronicles of Narnia._

_Summary: See previous chapters._

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Chapter Three

Vaneria didn't know precisely what she had expected would happen when the bell was struck with the Hammer; perhaps a gentle melodious chime, or the deep ringing like the temple bells. Either way, and while it was a very effective wake-up call, she knew that she _hadn't_ expected a deafening noise that threatened to bring the building down around them.

Vaneria kept her eyes closed until her ears stopped ringing and she could actually _hear_ the three other voices in the room, then blinked and stood up, looking around her. A young boy and a young girl were there; both dressed in very odd clothing. The third voice belonged to Jadis, who was being as imperious as ever, and thankfully not noticing the decidedly unimpressed and unintimidated glares that the strange girl was giving her.

Vaneria decided that she definitely liked the girl, but was prevented from further contemplation when her foot knocked against the side of the throne and drew everyone's attention. The two children both looked resigned, but Jadis wore an expression of shocked disbelief that Vaneria knew she would treasure for the rest of her life. "Greetings. Can questions wait until we get out of here before the Hall collapses around us?"

For a moment, Vaneria enjoyed the very rare sight of Jadis looking completely shocked. It quickly passed, however, as Jadis shook herself and led them out of the hall.

* * *

Given that the palace was crumbling around them, Vaneria thought that it was hardly time for sight-seeing, but her aunt still pointed out a few things as they hurried out. "That is the door to the dungeons", for example, "That way leads to the main torture chamber", or, "There is the banqueting hall where my great-grandfather invited seven hundred nobles to a feast and killed them all before they had drunk their fill."

As if the two children didn't look scared enough as it was! Vaneria tried to temper the bloodthirsty commentary. "Is _that_ what happened? Mother always refused to tell me. Oh, look, that passage goes to the throne room." Another feature was, "If you turn left at this intersection, you'll find the Queen's garden", and "Down there is a secret passage where my cousin and I used to spy on the council."

A quick look showed that Jadis almost stumbled at the mention of Vaneria's cousin, but recovered herself as they came to a solid iron door. Vaneria mentally ran through the unlocking spells she knew, but her aunt decided to take the quick way through. Pointing at the door with one arm, she made a throwing motion with the other, and the door crumbled into dust.

They walked out onto a terrace, hit by strong sunlight and a cold wind that seemed almost stale. Looking out over what had once been Charn, Vaneria bowed her head as she saw nothing but emptiness. Oh, the buildings were still there and whole, the proud temples and palaces, graceful towers and bridges over the ditch that had once been a great river, but nothing else. Vaneria could see the market square, but where it should have been filled with bright colours and people talking, it was now still and silent.

Tearing her eyes away from the ruined city, Vaneria looked to the sky, seeing the red sun even greater than before, low on the horizon, about to set for what she somehow knew would be the last time. To the high left of the sun was a single star, big and bright. A glance to the side showed the two children looking around in wonder as Jadis spoke in an unusually solemn voice. "Look well upon that which no eyes will ever see again. Such was Charn, the city of Queens of Queens, the wonder of the world; perhaps of all worlds. Does your uncle rule any city as great as this, boy?"

The boy's only reply was a quiet 'no', but before he could speak further, Jadis continued. "It is silent now. But I have stood here when the air was full of the noises of Charn; the tramping of feet and the creaking of wheels, the cracking of whips and the groaning of slaves, the thunder of chariots and the beating of the sacrificial drums in the temples."

Vaneria cut in. "It was beautiful, once, but then things changed. The cries of merchants selling their wares became the screams of dying soldiers; the braziers that lined the temple steps became fires that scoured whole neighbourhoods bare. The laughter of children became the roar of a battle that filled the streets and turned the waters of the Great River red with blood. We watched from this very balcony, until the day that one woman blotted it out forever."

The girl seemed almost entranced as the boy asked, "Who?"

Lost in the memory of standing beside her mother, a beacon of hope for the loyal soldiers who fought to the death to defend their Queen, Vaneria did not reply, leaving Jadis to continue the story. "I. I, Jadis, the last Queen, but the Queen of the world." (Vaneria's pointedly cleared throat was ignored. With Yelena's death, Vaneria was technically the 'last Queen', if uncrowned, but try telling Jadis that.) "It was my sister's fault, she drove me to it. May the curse of all powers rest upon her forever! At any moment I was ready to make peace, and to spare her life, if only she would give up her throne to me! But she would not. Her pride has destroyed the whole world! Even before the war began, there was a promise that neither side would use magic. When she broke her promise, what could I do?"

At this point, Vaneria gave up on subtlety and looked frankly incredulous. Any fool with eyes could have seen that there would never have been peace again between the two Royal Sisters while both remained living. Jadis would never forgive, and Yelena would never have given up her throne, if only to ensure that Vaneria would be the next Queen. As for using magic and destroying the world, the promise concerning the banning of magic had never actually been agreed upon, and either way, Yelena had not been the one to use the Deplorable Word! Just who Jadis thought she was fooling, or justifying herself to, Vaneria had no idea.

Meanwhile, Jadis was still speaking. "As if my sister did not know that I had more magic than she! She even knew that I knew the secret of the Deplorable Word. Did she think – she was always a weakling – that I would not use it?"

Given the shouting match when Vaneria had told her mother of Jadis's knowledge and Yelena had confronted her over it, not to mention the Court's gift for gossip, Vaneria would have been surprised if there was a single person who did not know that Jadis knew the Deplorable Word. Yelena had been far from a weakling, but had retained the hope that her sister had not been so far gone as to actually use it.

While Vaneria fumed, Jadis had not faltered in her admittedly biased narration of the last days of Charn and the definition of the Deplorable Word. "But I learned it in a secret place, and paid a terrible price to learn it. I did not use it until she forced me to. I fought to overcome her by any other means. I poured out the blood of my armies like water –"

The girl scowled at this and muttered under her breath. "Beast."

Oh, yes, Vaneria definitely liked this one. She sent the girl a smile, and was glad to receive a hesitant one in return. Having lived through the war and horrors that Jadis was currently describing, and not wanting to hear the details of her mother's demise, Vaneria would have been perfectly happy if Jadis would stop talking and start working on a way to get them all out of Charn _before_ the sun was destroyed.

Meanwhile, Jadis had finished telling of the Last Battle, and seemed to be waiting for someone to praise her power and greatness. She was to be disappointed as the girl only tilted her head in confusion. "But if you were the only one remaining, then how is she," (the girl indicated Vaneria) "still alive and here?"

It was somewhat gratifying to see Jadis hesitate over a question for which she had no answer. Managing to suppress a triumphant smirk, Vaneria shook her head; Jadis wasn't the only one who could be enigmatic and haughty, after all. "My name is Vaneria. I am the daughter of Queen Yelena, and it is a long story, and one for a different time. Suffice to say that I merely found a logical conclusion and took precautions."

Jadis was not the first one to throw Vaneria that glare of Infuriated Frustration, nor was she likely to be the last. The Crown Princess/Uncrowned Queen ignored it, however, turning her attention to the children. "Now, if we are finished with the questions, do you suppose we could start on finding a way to get away from here?"

* * *

As far as aesthetics went, the "Wood Between Worlds" was very beautiful. Something about it, however, sent chills down Vaneria's spine.

She didn't quite feel ready to keel over and die, as her aunt seemed to be, but it was enough to make her ignore the two children arguing and start invoking the Blessings of every deity she knew. "_Hear my prayer, Mother of all, Bless and protect me, hear my call…Lord of Dark and Lady Bright, shelter me in my greatest plight…"_

Her prayers were cut off as, supporting herself with one hand on the girl's shoulder, Vaneria felt herself yanked into a pool and falling through space and time.

* * *

Landing on a hard wooden floor in some cramped study was not what Vaneria had envisioned as an arrival in a new world. Really, if someone had the power to travel between worlds, then they should at least have the decency to provide a proper welcome! Furthermore, the man who had apparently summoned them didn't even have the decency to look like a magician!

He was skinny, and only about two thirds of Jadis's hight, clad in plain leggings, shirt and what looked like an oversized vest with long sleeves. On top of that, anyone with enough power to travel between worlds should be reasonably sure of themselves, not mumbling and falling over himself at the sight of them!

Vaneria was starting to think that things might have been a lot easier if she had just died along with the rest of Charn! At least then she wouldn't have to put up with all this rubbish.

Jadis, on the other hand, was so convinced of the magician being a great king that she had not yet put the pieces together. "Where is the magician who has brought me into this world?"

At this, the magician regained his voice, though that was not entirely an improvement. "Ah – ah – Madam! I am most honoured – highly gratified – a most unexpected pleasure – If I had only the opportunity of making a few preparations –."

Jadis had even less patience for babbling idiots than Vaneria did, and cut the older man off. "Where is the magician, fool?"

The magician looked appropriately intimidated. "I – I am, Madam. I hope you will excuse any liberty these naughty children have taken. I – Er – I assure you no offence was meant! I –"

In all fairness, Vaneria would have found this very hard to believe, had she not listened when the children tried to explain that this magician was neither royal nor even part of a court. Jadis had not listened to anything but her own ideas, and sent the unfortunate man a disbelieving glare. "You?"

She strode across the room, grabbed a fistful of the man's hair and yanked his head back so she could study his face. Finally, she released him again, so suddenly that he staggered back into a wall. "I see. You are a Magician – of sorts. Stand up, dog, don't sprawl on the floor as if you were speaking to your equals. There is no real Magic in you; your kind was made an end of in my world a thousand years ago, but here I shall allow you to be my servant."

In this instance, the cowardice of the Magician ("Uncle Andrew." The boy whispered) served him well. At being spoken to in such a manner, most men would have taken offence, and reacted in a way that would convince Jadis to kill them as not being worth the trouble. Andrew, at least, had some sense of self-preservation. "I – I would be most honoured – delighted to be of any service – a pleasure, I assure you."

On the other hand, if the idiot didn't start speaking in complete sentences, Vaneria might just kill him herself. "Silence! You talk far too much. Hear your first task and go procure whatever transport is used for royal or noble persons in this world. I wish to see more of this world."

Andrew was terrified of them anyway, so Vaneria could see no point in being polite about it. Witches are a practical sort, even if they are not always nice and seldom waste time on the un-necessary. Jadis was even less kind about it as she adjusted Vaneria's train of discussion. "We will go to places where We shall acquire jewels and clothes and slaves fit for my rank. Tomorrow I will begin my conquest of the world!"

Andrew gulped and headed for the door, stammering about ordering a 'cab'. Jadis halted him, adding yet another short speech about her terrible powers and a threat to never betray her. He fled the room, and the four of them were left alone.

Waiting in an uncomfortable silence with an impatient Jadis and two nervous children, Vaneria closed her eyes and tried to ward off the headache she knew was coming. After only a few minutes, Jadis stormed out of the room, muttering about idiots incapable of doing things without supervision, and the atmosphere relaxed.

"Whew," said the girl, Polly, letting out a breath that she had been holding. "Now I must be getting back home. It's very late, and I shall be in so much trouble."

The boy, Diggory, nodded. "Well do, do come back as soon as you can. This is simply ghastly, having her here. We must come up with some sort of plan!"

Polly gave him an icy look. "That's up to your uncle now. He's the one who started all this messing about with magic!"

The two children descended into an argument, probably over what had happened during the visit to Charn and back, which Vaneria ignored as she tried to figure out what to do. She couldn't follow Jadis around for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was the amount of trouble Jadis would cause that Vaneria _was not_ taking the blame for, but nor could she stay in this little room while she waited for one of them to return.

Following Diggory around would not work, as he would be stuck in this 'house' until Andrew came back, unable to do a thing as Jadis was out wreaking havoc. On the other hand, Vaneria had taken a liking to Polly, and didn't want the unfortunate girl to be blamed for circumstances beyond her control. If Vaneria could pass herself off as visiting royalty needing a guide, which would get Polly out of trouble and give them a chance to chase down Jadis.

Meanwhile, the argument had settled and Polly was heading for a little door that Vaneria had not noticed. "I'll come back – if I can. But I must go now."

Vaneria brushed off her skirt. "I'll go with you. I need a guide while we try to keep Jadis from doing anything too destructive, and it'll get you out of trouble."

Polly gave her a disbelieving look. "How do you plan to do that? How do you know that I want anything to do with you? Or anything to do with Magic of any kind?"

Did she mean aside from the fact that Polly had just agreed to help anyway? "You'll help because we all know that Andrew is incapable of doing anything against my Aunt, with or without magic. As for getting you out of trouble, who is going to refuse a request from a visiting foreign princess?"

The children had to admit that she had a point, and Polly led the way out of the hidden door.

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A/N: Yes, I know it's been forever since I updated, but here's the next chapter. Constructive criticism is very much appreciated.


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